Fourteen students and two faculty members volunteered at Mission of Mercy on Oct. 15-16. This annual medical charity event offers free dental, vision and hearing services to those in need.
Seven of the 14 students who attended the event volunteered as translators.
English Professor Tim Bintrim is proud of students for using their linguistic skills to help others.
“For the last six years, SFU has provided at least six to eight translators, usually in Spanish, but also this year in French, Russian and ASL,” he said.
As a double major in Spanish and Communications, Mission of Mercy is very special to me. I have volunteered as a translator at the event for the last three years.
I never forget the people I connect with. Last year, I bonded with a Venezuelan family.
They shared their culture and stories with me. I especially enjoyed spending time with the kids.
That family attended Mission of Mercy again this year. We immediately recognized each other, and they greeted me with hugs.
Natalie Floder, a junior Health Sciences major, volunteered as a Russian translator. She helped a Ukrainian mother and daughter.
“They came [to the United States] about four years ago because of the war,” she said.
The mother had severe hearing loss. She was grateful to receive new hearing aids.
“The mother, because she could finally hear, grabbed me and said, ‘your voice is so pretty,’” Floder said.
Other students served as general volunteers. Ella Scott, a sophomore Biology major with a Pre-Dental concentration, has volunteered for the last two years.
“My favorite thing about volunteering is getting a closer look at my future,” she said. “After graduation, I would like to go on to dental school and eventually specialize in pediatrics or orthodontics.”
Being able to help change lives at Mission of Mercy inspires Scott.
“I will definitely be back next year and hopefully many years after that,” she said.
Mission of Mercy transforms the lives of both patients and volunteers. Every year, I return to campus with more gratitude and faith in humanity.
“We join 1,900 health professionals who have worked all week dedicating two very long days to saving about 1,600 of their neighbors from pain and illness,” Bintrim said.
“What could be better?”
